Bahrain F1 is simple choice, fund the blood spilling by the regime or Steer Clear

editor: The teams and the FIA can “steer clear” and wait for “fair day” in Bahrain to hold their race or they can let it become a bloody stain that rolls around every year. It seems a no brainier, but if one heeds the idiocy of an ego tripping Ecclestone and fiscally desperate King Hamad, they put the entire FIA enterprise to shame and push the whole pack into the bloody walls of Bahrain. Phlipn.

Bernie Ecclestone will meet F1 teams to discuss Bahrain GP
By Dan Roan – 12 April, 2012

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone will meet the sport’s 12 teams in Shanghai on Friday to discuss whether the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix should go ahead, the BBC has learned.

However a senior FIA official told the BBC “The race is still on. The situation is not like last year.”

2011’s race was called off following pro-democracy protests in the country.

But now a number of them expect the race to be called off amid security concerns caused by civil unrest.

On Tuesday Ecclestone said no teams had expressed concerns to him and a summit has been called ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.

Despite holding the meeting, Ecclestone said on Thursday only the Bahrain sporting authorities could cancel the race. “The race is on the calendar,” he said. “It’s scheduled.”

Formula 1: Bahrain GP row explained

The Formula One Teams’ Association (Fota), meanwhile, insists it is down to the sport’s governing body, the FIA, to cancel the race. But the BBC can reveal Friday’s crisis meeting will not include FIA chief Jean Todt who does not arrive in Shanghai until Saturday.

That may mean any decision is delayed until the weekend, with cars scheduled to be air-freighted to Bahrain on Sunday night.

Bahrain authorities remain confident the race will go ahead.

Unlike last year, the Bahrain authorities are in no mood to cancel the race themselves, so the decision rests with the FIA this time.

But, speaking on condition of anonymity from Shanghai where the third stage of the F1 takes place on Sunday, the senior FIA official told the BBC’s Bill Law that John Yates – Scotland yard’s assistant commissioner until he resigned last year but now serving as a special advisor to Bahrain’s Minister of Interior – has been reassuring. …more